Ize-Iyamu in panic mode as APC suffers another blow

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Edo state, Osagie Ize-Iyamu and his team are back in the trenches strategizing on how to retain members of the party who are daily switching sides to the Peoples’ Democratic Party [PDP].

At the weekend, thousands of party members in one of the state’s largest communities, Urhonigbe, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area (LGA) decamped to the PDP.

The leaders and members of the APC in Urhonigbe South, ward 8, dumped the party, endorsing the second term aspiration of the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Comr. Philip Shaibu.

Leader of the APC, Dr. Mrs. Nosakhare Aladeselu, and the President of Face2Face Campaign for Obaseki, Mr. Etinosa Odiase, who led the decamping APC members, said it became necessary to follow Governor Obaseki to the PDP owing to the fact that they want to continually be part of the governors’ achievements.

According to Aladeselu: “We cannot leave Obaseki with what he has done for us as a community; just look at our rubber estate, he has revived it within his first three years in office. Commercial activities are gradually coming back to Urhonigbe; there is work for our teaming youth; no space for idleness anymore.”

Also, Odiase said he decided to lead thousands of his supporters to the PDP to support the governor because of his developmental agenda for the larger Edo people against the few individuals who continue to strive for personal benefits rather than the good of the larger majority of the people.

“You can see what good governance can do for people.  I have led thousands of my supporters to join the governor in the PDP. We are not fighting for stomach infrastructure but the dividends of democracy that will lead to a better Edo State; anywhere Obaseki goes, we will go,” he added.

Other decamping members include a former member of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Barr. Friday Ogierhiakhi, and a former Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) commissioner, among others.

Meanwhile, Ize-Iyamu has said he’s relaxed and confident of victory for his party comes September 19.

“My Campaign Organization has worked hard to engage and convince not just party members across the entire state, but also others who are not members of any party, but are just after good governance in the state,” he added.